


tastes like the real thing

by ifthebookdoesntsell



Series: what the flames can build (aka chefs au) [4]
Category: The Prom (2020), The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: (Implied/Referenced/Addressed), Alternate Universe - Chefs, Alternate Universe - Reality Show, Canon-Typical Homophobia, Chefs, Chefs AU, F/F, Homophobia, WE BACK BABY!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 08:20:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29681085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ifthebookdoesntsell/pseuds/ifthebookdoesntsell
Summary: In the aftermath ofKnown Unknown,Emma and Alyssa have gained an unprecedented following. Their restaurant has an out-the-door waiting time every morning, not to mention the fact that private rooms are booked months in advance.The spotlight has been nice, and it's helped them get their feet under them, especially Emma, in wake of the tragedy that rocked them to their cores. Now, they hear from fans every day, all of them expressing their gratitude, telling their stories.From there, an idea was born, a tiny glimmer of hope that sparked into something much bigger. And soon, Emma and Alyssa pitched it to Tom Hawkins, Food Network producer: the Unruly Hearts' Club, a little beach hangout spot where all are welcome in walking distance to the Indiana Dunes, hopefully the first of many casual dining spots to be well-known and openly welcoming.Now, it's just a matter of seeing if the network will go for it, and they'll get picked up for their show which will follow the couple-- and their friends, who make up a newly formed restaurant management group-- as they build their second restaurant from the ground up.(Or, the one where they get their own show.)
Relationships: Alyssa Greene/Emma Nolan
Series: what the flames can build (aka chefs au) [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2151474
Comments: 19
Kudos: 61





	1. Greenlit

**Author's Note:**

> hello hello hello! we back, baby! i've had some asks in my inbox as well as some other folks asking if there would be a sequel, and well... here we are! i am so so amazed and flattered by the response on [the first part of this series.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29009451) i never expected it! 
> 
> now, this fic contains major spoilers for said part, so if you haven't read it, i would very much recommend you read that before my read this. 
> 
> anyway, i really hope you all like this. i've been planning it for a bit now, and i can't wait to see if y'all enjoy it. 
> 
> you can find a playlist for this fic [here.](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3HQaa9jpoLf95AiPQmbaPv?si=dGVxYZ8IT_6nQ9QLdXj9hA)

Alyssa smiles as she stirs, careful not to wake Emma. 

Strong arms are still holding her around the waist, and she doesn’t mind that she has to stay still, closing her eyes again for a few moments and relaxing into the warmth her girlfriend always seems to have radiating off of her.

She’s about to drift off once more, cuddling back into Emma’s space, when suddenly, she remembers what day it is. Her eyes flip open. 

_ Decision Day.  _

Today, the network will decide whether their show is greenlit after months of working out the concept, of planning all in the hypothetical. 

Of course, they’re going to open up their new place regardless, but it’s been six months since they filmed the last episode of  _ Known Unknown,  _ and it’s impossible not to miss it. 

The whole thing was basically a giant screentest, which both women both passed with flying colors, and in the end, it was Hawkins who had suggested that they start talking about their own show, even if it was just for one season, and if they had any ideas. 

Thus,  _ The Happening  _ was born, a play on Emma and Alyssa’s strengths as restaurateurs combined with their absolutely competitive natures. The show will hopefully follow them as they open up their newest restaurant, a little place near the Indiana Dunes they’d had their eye on for quite a while by the time the owner finally decided to sell. 

Now, all they have to do is flip the place into the next great casual dining spot. 

Every week, the plan is for them to take the final menu items and put their own spin on it with the hope that one will have an inspired idea that can be made into a special. 

Hawkins pitched it. 

And since then, it’s been a waiting game. 

Until today. 

“Baby, get up,” Alyssa whispers, turning in Emma’s grasp to look at her. “It’s the big day!” 

Emma groans dramatically. “Five more minutes.” She tightens her hold around her girlfriend as she cracks an eye open so that they’re nose to nose. 

“We should go.” Brown eyes move over her face adoringly. “What if Hawkins arrives at the restaurant early?”

“But I want to be in bed with my girlfriend,” Emma fake complains, though she does start to push the covers off of herself, laughing before she even hits the punchline of her joke. “Noah runs the first morning service for a reason.” She shifts to roll on top of her girlfriend, smiling when Alyssa giggles beneath her. “I like being able to kiss my girl good morning as many times as I want.”

A pretty flush spreads across Alyssa’s features at the term of endearment, but she fights any temptation to let this get any further.  Today’s the big day, afterall. 

Gently, she flips them, kissing Emma softly one last time.

“You can be in bed with me later once we get our season deal,” Alyssa murmurs, gaze teasingly bright as she sweeps herself away from the woman in one quick move, finally getting out of bed. 

“Is that a promise?” Emma asks. 

Alyssa rolls her eyes. 

“Is it?” her girlfriend presses. 

“You’ll only know if you get out of bed.” 

Immediately, Emma throws the covers aside. 

At that, Alyssa laughs, and Emma can’t help but think that even if they don’t get the contract, she has everything that she needs. 

***

“Hey!” Alyssa calls, high-fiving Kaylee and Shelby as she walks in, pulling her blazer tighter around her. She pins her name-tag to the lapel. 

Greg waves at the bar, and Kevin looks up from where he’s on the phone with a customer who’s undoubtedly trying to book a private room for some special occasion. He’s taken such matters over, along with keeping some of the books with Alyssa, and it’s been a huge help. 

Some of the morning crowd is still lingering, taking their time chatting with their friends over a cup of coffee or sitting back with their significant other. 

Alyssa smiles as she watches them, laughing when Emma suddenly comes up behind her, snaking her arms around her waist and hugging her. 

“Car’s parked around the corner since I couldn’t get a spot,” her girlfriend murmurs, hooking her chin over her shoulder and kissing her cheek. “You’d think a busy restaurant was open around here or something.”

Alyssa grins. “Maybe.” 

“Can you two be gross somewhere else?” Kaylee teases, affectionate glare missing her best friend completely and centering fully on Emma. 

“Why do you always say  _ can you two,  _ but when you really mean  _ can Emma?”  _ the chef jokingly complains back even as she pulls back from her hold around Alyssa and spins her around to kiss her goodbye. She places a gentle peck on her girlfriend’s lips. “She’s right, though. I should go in there before Noah starts bitching about how I’m late again. You’d think he owns the place or something.” 

Kaylee’s eyes fill with glee. “Wait. What was the first part you said just then?”

“Oh God,” Emma mumbles in fake annoyance. She turns to her friend, eyes narrowed playfully. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“No! What was that?” Kaylee practically dances. “You said…” She moves her hand in a  _ go on _ motion. 

Emma refuses to play along. “I have dishes to prep.”

“You said I was right!” Kaylee calls. “You can’t take it back now!” 

Emma doesn’t even grace her with turning around. 

“I hate you, Klein!”

“No you don’t!” 

***

Around two, Alyssa starts to pace. 

Sheldon-- they acquired an agent at the insistence of Barry and Dee Dee-- said he would call after lunchtime if Hawkins didn’t arrive first, and now, her phone is sitting on the desk in her office almost tauntingly. 

This could change their lives. 

Of course, being one of the first out lesbian couples in a mainstream reality TV series changed their lives already, but their own show is something totally different. 

They’d have money to put away, more press for their restaurants,  _ stability.  _

And the more Alyssa thinks about it, that’s exactly what she wants. She wants to have something that’s hers and Emma’s together, something that they can use to build their future. Restaurants come with bills, so many of them, and while it’ll be a lot of work to create good content, the reward of creating something people will love that can reach so many more people is something she’s honestly wanted for as long as this opportunity has existed. 

She’s about to sit down and take a breath when Shelby suddenly opens the door. 

“Someone’s here,” she says with a smile. 

“Does it seem like good news?” Alyssa asks, running a hand through her hair. 

“From the way he has a bunch of paperwork under his arm?” Shelby questions rhetorically. “I’d say yes.”

Alyssa bolts from her chair, hugging her friend quickly as she runs by. 

Shelby laughs. “Congrats, ‘Lys!”

***

“Just sign there.” Hawkins points to the line. “Obviously, we’ve gone over these forms multiple times, but know that I tried to get the best deal for you that I could.” 

“Thank you,” Emma tells him, eyes soft. “We couldn’t have done this without you.”

The man laughs. “Well, if I’m honest, I think my dear fiancée may have been the deciding factor.” He shrugs. “She said something about how heads would roll if you didn’t get the contract.” 

Alyssa and Emma laugh. 

“Then thank her for us,” the former tacks on. 

“Will do.” Hawkins produces some last items from his bag. They’re wrapped. “Now, since you’re officially part of the family, here are some things.” 

Emma and Alyssa look at him. 

“Open them!” he urges with a grin. 

Sounds of crinkling paper fill the room. He smiles when Emma opens hers and looks back up at him. 

“Are you serious?”

He nods, watching, clearly pleased, as Emma pulls out a dark chef’s coat. The front pocket has her name and  _ Unruly Hearts’ Club  _ embroidered beneath the Hawkins Production and Food Network logos. 

Alyssa pulls out a blazer, the same logos and her own name threaded across the chest pocket. 

“This is really nice, sir,” Alyssa tells him. “It must have cost--”

“Don’t worry about the cost.” Hawkins waves her off. “I try to do something nice for all the newbies. Especially kids as nice as you. Oh, one more thing.” He pulls a beanie, the network logo across the top, from his own bag, handing it off to Emma. “Your fans seem to have a thing for you in these.”

Emma laughs, taking it and already tugging it down over her hair. “Thank you.” 

Hawkins smiles. “Of course. Now, you’re active on social media, yes?”

Both women nod. 

“Good. Then, I’ll let you break the news to your followers yourself, as long as you do it tonight.” He claps his hands together as he gathers his things. “I’m going to get going. Congratulations, you two.”

“Thank you, Mr. Hawkins,” Alyssa says. 

“Really, sir,” Emma adds. 

“No, thank you.” The man smiles, waving as he makes his way towards the door. “You have a good night.”

“You too!” Emma and Alyssa call at the same time. 

***

For a moment, they sit in silence once they hear Hawkins’ car depart. 

Their hands have been clasped under the table for the better part of two minutes when Emma finally turns to her girlfriend. 

“Did that really just happen?” She grins, wide and bright. “Do we have our own show?”

Alyssa laughs. “We do, Em.” She leans over until her head is rested on Emma’s shoulder. 

Emma smiles down at her. “This is crazy. We actually did it.”

“And we have the gear to prove it,” Alyssa jokes, tugging the right side of her girlfriend’s beanie down over her ear. 

***

“Rolling!” Kevin calls from where he’s set up Emma’s phone on a tripod. 

All of their friends have gathered around to watch them film the announcement. Alyssa wipes her palms on her pants as she begins, slightly nervous despite the fact that they can hit re-record as many times as they want before they post. 

“Hello interweb,” Emma starts with a laugh. “My name is Emma Nolan, and I’m the chef and co-owner at the Phoenix in Edgewater, Indiana. That fire that made national news because the owner of the place was on a Food Network show? Yeah, that was me.”

“And I’m the girlfriend who helped rebuild,” Alyssa jokes. “Hi, I’m Alyssa Greene. I general manage and co-own the Phoenix with Emma.” 

Emma grins. “It’s been an awesome six months since we opened the place, but before we were able to let people through our doors, we were honestly kind of feeling sorry for ourselves. It was a hard time.” 

Alyssa nods in agreement. “But, we got to talking with some friends of ours, and of course, with the restaurant and all,  _ something  _ good was going to come out of all of the awfulness. Still, it didn’t feel like enough.”

Hayden is smiling softly as she listens, cleaning wine glasses quietly. Kaylee switches to the next cue card, pointing to Emma. 

“We got messages from all over the country,” the blonde continues. “People telling us they felt seen and understood because of us, because of just hearing about our little lives, how we try to make our town better. So, we created a concept after talking with Tom Hawkins, told him about a place that we always wanted to build, a place that welcomed all people, especially those who just love someone in a way the rest of the world can’t understand yet.” 

“And he thought it would make a hell of a story.” Alyssa smiles, soft and pretty at the camera. “We know you all have stories to tell. We’re grateful that you’ve shared them with us. And we’re posting today because we want to tell you that you’re about to hear more of ours.”

She catches sight of Greg who's tangled around Kevin, his eyes a little misty. She nods at him barely. He throws back a thumbs up as he presses his face against his boyfriend’s shoulder. 

“In the next eight weeks, you’re going to follow us as we open up the Unruly Hearts’ Club, a little beach hangout spot near the Indiana Dunes,” Emma informs the fans. “You’ll get a peek into how our restaurant group creates a dining experience, some competitions between Alyssa and I, which I’ll be sure to win.” She grins when Alyssa gapes in fake offense. “And overall, we want to hear from you! Do you think spots like this around the country would be helpful? What’s your story? Let us know as episodes start to air!”

“We want to thank everybody for their support again. We wouldn’t be here without our team, the Saperstein Agency, Hawkins Production, and of course, the network,” Alyssa adds. Her eyes light up at the camera. “We can’t wait to show you what we’re going to build.”

***

**Day #187 of Missing The Chef Lesbians** @JulietInConverse: OH MY GOD.

**Gay Food Network (Once More)** @Adohug: *michael scott voice* OH MY GOD. IT’S HAPPENING. EVERYBODY STAY CALM. 

**#UnrulyHearts’Club** @itsOzzie: STAY FUCKING CALM. 

**presentation, taste, and emlyssa** @satan: mY USER HAS MEANING AGAIN THANK GOD

**Distributor of News (Apparently)** @NinjaKTX: god i’m so excited!

**Thinking About It [The Phoenix]** @ambien-im-on-it: I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN! I KNEW IT. “TALKS” ALMOST ALWAYS MEANS “YES.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey there! thanks for reading! what did you think? if you enjoyed, consider dropping me a comment/kudo down below. i love hearing from y'all. 
> 
> i really hope you enjoyed seeing their show get green(e)lit (sorry, i couldn't resist the pun), but this is just the beginning. i hope you'll stick around!
> 
> as always, you can find me on tumblr @ifthebookdoesntsell if you ever wanna chat about greenelan/food/gayness or anything else on your mind. 
> 
> be safe x


	2. Episode One: A Clean Slate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Good morning,” Alyssa narrates softly, holding the camera that Trent has been teaching her to operate for the last two weeks. “Happy Day One!” 
> 
> The apartment is dark as she moves around, placing it on the counter as she starts to make breakfast, checking the angle before turning on the light. 
> 
> “Welcome to the first episode of The Happening.” She starts to peel potatoes as she talks. “Our goal is for you to start every morning with us just like this, so if you haven’t eaten anything, get into the kitchen and let’s cook something together!” 
> 
> (Or, the first episode.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey y'all! back at you with the second chap. thanks for the response on the first chapter; i'm glad y'all are liking what you've seen so far! unfortunately, i have school (i know, ew skdjgs) so that's why there won't be a day-by-day posting schedule for this fic. just thought i'd let you know it'll probably be a more week-by-week basis. 
> 
> as always, thanks for reading, and i hope that you enjoy!

“Good morning,” Alyssa narrates softly, holding the camera that Trent has been teaching her to operate for the last two weeks. “Happy Day One!” 

The apartment is dark as she moves around, placing it on the counter as she starts to make breakfast, checking the angle before turning on the light. 

“Welcome to the first episode of _The Happening.”_ She starts to peel potatoes as she talks. “Our goal is for you to start every morning with us just like this, so if you haven’t eaten anything, get into the kitchen and let’s cook something together!” She smiles, pulling out a cutting board. “It’s six-thirty for us, and Emma worked late last night, so she’s going to sleep while I do breakfast this morning.” She sweeps around the space, gathering her materials. “I’m going to do a simple hash for today. This is good for breakfast, but if you need a quick and easy dinner, it’s great for that, too.” 

On each step, Alyssa shows the camera what she’s doing, finally turning the pan onto high heat, drizzling some oil onto the cast iron and placing the potatoes in. She smiles when it immediately starts to crackle. 

“That’s what we’re looking for,” she laughs, smiling when she spies Emma coming out of their bedroom, beanie tugged over her ears to undoubtedly hide bedhead, though she did put on a flannel and a pair of jeans. 

“Good morning, pretty lady,” Emma flirts, walking into the frame and hugging Alyssa from behind. 

“People are gonna GIF this,” Alyssa whispers to her, even as she cuddles back into her girlfriend’s embrace. 

“We’re cute; of course they are,” Emma replies quietly, kissing the side of her head before she raises the volume of her voice enough for the camera’s microphone to pick it up. “This smells real good.” 

She grabs the fork that’s lying next to the stove, attempting to stab into one of the potatoes but Alyssa slaps her hand away. “It’s not done yet.”

“But I wanna try,” Emma whines. 

“Make me a cup of coffee or a smoothie or something while you wait,” Alyssa teases. 

Emma looks dead into the camera. “Do you see what I have to deal with?”

***

 **Day 1 of Welcoming The Chef Lesbians Back** @JulietInConverse: GOD THEY’RE SO CUTE. and LORD imagine waking up to alyssa greene cooking you breakfast. i think i’d pass away. 

**presentation, taste, and emlyssa** @satan: i hope emma nolan knows i love her

 **Gay Food Network (Once More)** @Adohug: big mood lmao 

**Distributor of News (Apparently)** @NinjaKTX: plus, i bet their kitchen is stocked af

 **Thinking About It [The Phoenix]** @ambien-im-on-it: literally because tell me why i got up to go into my kitchen like i 1) had any of the stuff for the hash and 2) knew how to cook 

**#UnrulyHearts’Club** @itsOzzie: LMAO. 

***

“We’ve had our eye on this place for a while,” Emma says as she drives, steering hand-over-hand to turn them onto the highway. “It’s a really cute spot in walking distance to the dunes.” 

They’re using the dash cam that Trent had set up, too, so that neither of them had to film while on the road. It’s only an eighteen minute drive, but he’d insisted, saying it’s better to be safe than sorry. 

“It’s virtually empty,” Alyssa continues. “It’s a clean slate! But they have good electricity and gas lines, and a half kitchen is already in place. It just needs a good clean up, right, Em?”

Emma nods, merging into the rightmost lane in the direction of the proper exit. 

“We didn’t buy it for too much, so we have a lot of room to play and figure out what works. Plus, even though Alyssa would never say this on her own, she did graphic design, yearbook and AP Art History in high school with Shelby. We got decor in the bag.”

“Emma!” Alyssa gapes. “You’re making me sound like I was a nerd.”

“Was?” Emma teases. “You still are!” Her girlfriend pouts. The blonde grins back. "A cute nerd, though."

Alyssa smiles. "Better."

***

Trent is already there when they arrive, and Angie is directing people in setting up tents. There's a general busy-ness to the set already, despite the early hour. 

“Angie!” Emma calls, rushing forward to hug her. 

“Hi Emma! How are you doing, honey?”

“I’m doing great,” she says honestly. She gestures around. “Not much to complain about.” 

Angie chuckles in amusement. “You’d be right about that. A _second_ restaurant! And with such a good message. You’re doing well for yourself, Emma.”

As if to prove her point, a few crew members smile and wave at the chef, a couple of them even seeming a little starstruck. 

“Thanks, Angie.” Emma blushes. “Now, tell me about you! What’s new?”

“Well, I’ve been promoted,” Angie tells her excitedly. “Senior producer!” She puffs out her chest dramatically. “I’m the boss now!”

“I love that,” Emma laughs. “Congratulations.”

“Only took twenty years,” Angie quips under her breath. 

Emma grins up at her. 

***

“So you’re going to stand there and tell me that you don’t already have plans for decor?” Emma teases as soon as they walk in, Trent following behind while one of the other crew members runs sound. 

Alyssa glares at her affectionately. _“Fine._ I do, okay?”

“Art nerd,” Emma sings quietly. 

“Do you want my ideas or not?” Alyssa grumbles, lips twitching around a barely concealed smile. 

“Yes! Yes, I do,” Emma says quickly.

Alyssa grins at her, then, brilliant and adoring. “Are you sure? Or are you going to call me a nerd again?”

“You know nerd has _affectionate_ in parentheses after it,” Emma laughs. She steps forward quietly, creeping up behind Alyssa and wrapping her arms around her, swaying them back and forth. “Tell me the ideas. I promise I won’t make fun anymore!”

“That’s a big promise,” Alyssa jokes, but she doesn’t dwell. “I’m thinking picnic-style tables and booths in the corners.” She sweeps her hand over the space in the room. “Hardwood floors, a small bar station that serves alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and we could do an accent on the far wall. If we wanna be really gay, we could make it rainbow.” She laughs. 

“I always wanna be really gay with you,” Emma comments softly, voice light. 

Alyssa flushes, swatting her shoulder. “Shut up. Anyway, we could line the wall with the view of the water with windows and pick a color that would bring out the light in the room, I think. And we have space in our budget for a deck outside.”

Emma hums a soft tune at that, so happy, so _in love_ as she watches Alyssa point around the room, creating a vision with just her own narration of what the room could look like. Her hand sweeps across the space, and it feels a lot like planning the next step in their life, almost how Emma imagines it'll be one day when they buy a house together, when they find themselves at the milestones that are almost always on her mind lately. 

Alyssa pulls her from her thoughts with a gentle nudge. "What do you think?"

“Everything you just said sounds perfect.” 

“Really?” Alyssa asks, eyes wide and searching for any signs of doubt. 

_“Ye,”_ Emma replies, lips twitching around a grin. 

It breaks the softness in the room. Alyssa giggles. 

“I hate you.”

“You love me.” 

***

“Alright, now that we’ve shown you what will be the dining space, we’re going to get to the fun part,” Emma tells the camera.

“The fun part _for Emma,”_ Alyssa corrects jokingly. She rolls up the sleeves of her long sleeve t-shirt. 

“Yeah, because I’m going to win,” her girlfriend quips, winking at the camera. 

“Are not!”

“I am!”

“Girls!” A familiar voice carries through the room and interrupts the playful argument. “At least try to be professional, would you?”

“Gran!” Emma laughs. “Hi!” She turns to the camera. “This is my gran, Betsy.”

“The coolest Nolan,” Alyssa adds. 

“Babe!” Emma complains. 

“Well, she’s not wrong,” Betsy agrees. “I am pretty cool. I taught dear Emma everything she knows.” 

Emma’s eyes soften. “That is true.” 

“It’s a damn shame that you have all the Twitter stans then, no?” Betsy asks. “I’m rather disappointed I don’t have any, honestly.” 

“When did you learn the word _stan,_ Gran?” Emma giggles, rolling her eyes. 

“I had to do some research on your following!” her grandmother exclaims. “I found at least twenty _Emma Nolan stan accounts,_ whatever that means.”

“Oh my God,” Alyssa mumbles. 

She and Emma share a look and a thought at the same time. 

_Asking Gran onto this project was the right move._

***

“Aside from making me look bad, Gran is here to help us open the place up,” Emma laughs, leaning on the chopping block as Trent focuses on her and Alyssa. 

Betsy laughs quietly in the background. 

“We’ve trusted her to create a few menu items that will become part of the specials section based on the menu Alyssa and I created first. This is where the competition comes in.” 

Alyssa nods, tying her hair up. “She’s going to give us a theme, much like when we were on _Known Unknown,_ however specific or generic she wants, and then we have to make something! The goal is to create the best menu we can. It just so happens that Emma and I thrive when we’re trying to win against each other.”

“Hell yeah!” Emma agrees. “Now, Gran, what’s our challenge for this week?”

“Well, I was looking at your menu, and there’s one thing I think you’re missing,” Betsy starts. 

Alyssa smiles. “And what is that?”

“A clearly beachy special, of course!” the woman says. “Something you can take on the go or eat in the restaurant! Something with fish and spice and salty-sweet flavors. Make me something I’d want to eat lying on the beach while I get a tan.”

“Nolans only burn,” Emma quips. 

“Shut up, Emma. I’ve kept you in this world. I can take you out of it,” Gran threatens playfully. 

“Yes, ma’am.” Emma laughs under her breath. 

***

“What did you make me, Alyssa?” Gran asks pleasantly, moving the plate in a circle to get a full view. 

“Fish tacos,” Alyssa says. “They’re budget friendly-- I did the math; it’s about twenty bucks for twenty four tacos-- and they really open up the palette if somebody wants them as an appetizer.” 

Betsy nods, picking one up and taking a bite. 

Alyssa waits patiently, pointing to the chips on the side. “These are lime infused. They go with the creamy sauce and the salsa.”

“Show off,” Emma whispers, nudging her with a smile. 

“You wouldn’t have me any other way,” Alyssa answers without missing a beat. 

***

“And _you,”_ Gran begins, glaring at Emma in a playfully accusing way. “What did _you_ make me?” 

“I’ve already lost, haven’t I?” Emma deadpans, trying not to smile. 

“You said it, not me,” Betsy teases, but she breaks into a smile. “No, honey. You know I don’t mean it. Show me what you made.” 

Emma smiles. “It’s a light fish and chips,” she introduces, sliding the basket towards the woman. “There’s three sauces: classic tartar, a play on a spicy mayo, and a homemade ketchup.” 

“Interesting,” her grandmother murmurs, picking up a fry. The crunch on them is so obvious. She grins. “Very good. And now, the fish? What kind is it?”

“Classic cod,” Emma says. “Nothing wrong with doing what’s traditional. Plus, it’s a lot cheaper at markets than some other white fishes.”

Betsy nods. She takes another bite. “This is very good, Emma.”

Emma blushes. “Thanks, Gran.” 

***

“So, after some thoughts, I couldn’t decide on a winner,” Gran laughs. 

“Some judge you are!” Greg teases. He had come by to start dropping kitchen and bar supplies and ending up scoring the leftovers from Emma and Alyssa’s plates. “I’d agree though. These are both bomb.” 

“Hush,” Betsy says, ruffling his hair with a smile. “Anyway, as I was saying, I thought I would propose a combo as the first item on your specials menu.” 

“Oh?” Emma asks, leaning back against the counter and crossing her arms to stretch her back. 

Alyssa nods for her to go on too. 

“Well, you could take Emma’s fried cod and make it an option in the tacos,” Gran begins, grabbing one of the women’s notepads from where it’s sitting on the chopping block. She starts to scrawl out her idea. “And you could make chips and fries a choice option, too. You charge more for the fries and less for the chips.” She turns the notebook around. “I added some thoughts for a coleslaw, too. It won’t cost any more since you’ll definitely have left over cabbage from your taco toppings. What do you think?” 

“I love that.” Alyssa takes the extra pen from her pocket and starts to price out the options. 

“I love it too. But I’d be careful,” Emma tells her grandmother teasingly. “Somebody might think you owned a restaurant once upon a time.” 

Gran laughs. “Me? Never.” 

***

 **Betsy Nolan Stan** @NinjaKTX: I HAVE CHANGED MY NAME. BETSY DESERVES STANS. 

**Day 1 of Welcoming The Chef Lesbians Back** @JulietInConverse: I LOVE IT. 

**Gay Food Network (Once More)** @Adohug: BRILLIANT. 

**#BetsyNolanFTW** @itsOzzie: That woman deserves everything. 

**presentation, taste, and emlyssa** @satan: SDKGJSDG PERFECTION. 

**Thinking About It [The Phoenix]** @ambien-im-on-it: I hope Betsy Nolan is having a wonderful day, whatever she’s doing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey there! thanks for reading! what did you think? if you enjoyed, consider dropping me a comment/kudo down below. i would love to hear what you think! it always makes me smile seeing little notifs from y'all. 
> 
> as always, you can find me @ifthebookdoesntsell on tumblr if you ever wanna chat some more. my askbox is always open to talk about greenelan/food/gayness and anything else on your mind. 
> 
> be safe out there x


	3. Episode Two: Happy Anniversary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Good morning!” Emma grins into the camera, voice quiet as she speaks. “Friends, it’s a very special day.” She turns on some lights in the kitchen, fumbling slightly with the camera for a moment before she turns it upright again. “It’s nineteen months to the day since I asked Alyssa to be my girlfriend.” 
> 
> She places the camera on the counter as she starts to move around the kitchen, taking some pots from where they’re hanging above the kitchen island and some spices from the rack next to the stove. 
> 
> “So I’m going to do breakfast in bed for her,” she continues. “Both of us are a little stressed, you know, with starting to figure out how we want the restaurant to look and what we want on the menu and figuring out what we’re doing for renovations, so I want to do something special. If any of you viewers out there have an anniversary coming up and you want to impress your partner, I would give this a shot.”
> 
> (Or, the one with their anniversary.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey y'all! happy monday! as you can probably tell, this fic now has a weekly update schedule lmao. i hope you enjoy this chapter; it was real fun to write, and we're just getting properly into the story now!
> 
> thanks for reading!

“Good morning!” Emma grins into the camera, voice quiet as she speaks. “Friends, it’s a very special day.” She turns on some lights in the kitchen, fumbling slightly with the camera for a moment before she turns it upright again. “It’s nineteen months to the day since I asked Alyssa to be my girlfriend.” 

She places the camera on the counter as she starts to move around the kitchen, taking some pots from where they’re hanging above the kitchen island and some spices from the rack next to the stove. 

“So I’m going to do breakfast in bed for her,” she continues. “Both of us are a little stressed, you know, with starting to figure out how we want the restaurant to look and what we want on the menu and figuring out what we’re doing for renovations, so I want to do something special. If any of you viewers out there have an anniversary coming up and you want to impress your partner, I would give this a shot.”

Emma grins at the camera, then, goofy, a little crooked, and so attractive as she starts to list off and show the items anybody following along will need. “First, get yourself some potatoes, onions, bell peppers, and maybe some chipotle, cherry, or jalapeño peppers if you’re into the spice. Alyssa likes it, so I’m going to brave the fact that it sometimes makes my nose runny and add a bit of all three. For all of these, you just want to slice and dice.” 

She shows off her knife technique, continuing to point out ingredients and substitutes, until everything is sizzling in an oiled pan on high. Emma breathes in the scent with a smile. “You should start to get a bit of a caramelized, almost sugary kind of smell from the onions as they cook down. And that point, you could add a meat of your choice, but I’m not going to since this is just a side for the main dish.” She hums to herself, disrupting the potatoes every few minutes as they brown. “This is something Alyssa and I would make all the time in high school, obviously with less expensive ingredients.” She laughs. “One time, all we had were potatoes and a single bell pepper. It was alright, but you didn’t hear it from me that we both put lots of ketchup on that.” 

Emma drifts a little from reality at the memory, recalling her and Alyssa holding plastic bowls in their laps while some bad Hallmark film played. Ketchup they’d upscaled with some seasoning sat in a sauce dish between them, and it was depleted each time a bite was particularly bland. It’s not as if they didn’t have other food-- quick snacks were always abound in the Greene household, considering Alyssa was involved in enough activities to fully deserve the title of renaissance woman-- but they’d wanted to cook. 

Money was always tight for them both, so they learned how to make do. 

Emma can’t help but smile softly and swallow hard at the thought that they don’t have to do that anymore; she can buy Alyssa anything she wants, make her a fancy anniversary breakfast and not worry. 

She looks down at the pan, suddenly remembering she’s cooking. Sometimes, it feels just as easy as breathing. 

She grabs a fork from the drawer to her right and tastes it. 

She grins. 

Everything is perfect.

“So now, move that onto a cool burner,” Emma narrates, pushing the pan toward the back of the stove. “And we can move onto our main dish: eggs benedict.” 

*** 

“You have to be careful not to break the sauce,” the chef tells the camera. “I recommend having a partner to make this, or if you have a steady blender, it’s possible to make a good hollandaise in that.” Her eyes light up at the camera. “Fun fact: I used to have such a hard time with this before Alyssa showed me how.” She combines egg yolks, lemon juice, dijon, salt and cayenne pepper into the blender. “Alright, folks. Cover your ears.” 

The blender roars to life and Emma winces slightly as it turns up. She begins to pour the butter in slowly, talking but knowing that she’s probably barely heard. She makes a note to ask Angie to add subtitles. 

***

_ “Good morning,” _ Emma sings, holding the camera in one hand and a piping hot breakfast plate in the other. 

Alyssa stirs softly, pulling the blankets up over her head. “Is that camera on, love?” she mumbles. 

Emma laughs. “Yes!”

Playfully, Alyssa pulls the covers back at the word slightly, peeking over the top, cracking an eye open. “Hello, world.” 

“You’re adorable,” Emma says. “I made you breakfast! Happy Nineteen Months!” 

Alyssa’s eyes widen. She smiles. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I wanted to!” Her girlfriend grins at her with that golden-retriever look again, clearly pleased with herself. “I made your favorites.”

She points to the eggs benedict and hash. Alyssa lights up further, making grabby hands at her. 

“Come here, you.”

Emma walks over carefully, placing the plate on the nightstand and the camera too. 

“Kiss?” she asks softly. 

Alyssa nods. “Always. Happy Nineteen Months, my love.”

***

**Day 8 of Welcoming The Chef Lesbians Back** @JulietInConverse: PLEASE I’M YEARNING.

**presentation, taste, and emlyssa** @satan: FUCK ME TOO 

**Gay Food Network (Once More)** @Adohug: i just want the intimacy of somebody making me breakfast. why is that so much to ask?

**Thinking About It [The Phoenix]** @ambien-im-on-it: ugh. i wanna *make* someone breakfast.

**Betsy Nolan Stan** @NinjaKTX: that opening just called me lonely in forty five different languages.

**#BetsyNolanFTW** @itsOzzie: Mood.

***

“Do we like this color or this one?” Alyssa asks, holding up a few swatches of blue. They’re trying to decide what to paint the deck once it's done being built. 

“Lighter would require more cleaning,” Shelby points out, gesturing to the angel blue. “The teal may be better, and I think it fits the vibe.” 

Emma looks between them, a little confused but trying to understand. 

“Maybe we can save the angel for inside, then?” Alyssa says. “The accent wall is going to be on that side.” She jerks her thumb behind her. “And the rest of the walls can be this color. It’ll bring out the light in the room.” 

“I like that,” Shelby agrees. 

“What do you think, babe?” Alyssa asks. 

Emma’s eyes widen, unsure what to say. Sure, she knows a few things about color from food presentation, but it’s not like she’s an expert. “Whatever you want, love.”

Alyssa reaches up to kiss her on the cheek at that, joking, “Right answer, Em.”

Emma grins, happy with herself. 

Shelby rolls her eyes affectionately. 

*** 

“Make me something romantic!” Betsy begins dramatically. “Something for your anniversary!”

“I already made Alyssa breakfast,” Emma tells her, boasting with purposeful pompousness as she rolls up the sleeves of her chef’s coat. 

“As you should every morning,” Gran teases. “Alyssa, does Emma make you breakfast every morning?”

Alyssa grins immediately at the question, tying her hair up to get set to cook. Emma groans before she even begins to speak. 

“I make it some days because Sleeping Beauty can’t get out of bed.”

“Emma.” Gran nudges her playfully. “What kind of girlfriend are you?”

Emma pouts. “I hate it here.” 

“No you don’t,” Betsy and Alyssa say at the same time. 

“I hate it here,” Emma repeats, more emphatically, staring directly into the camera as Trent snorts quietly. 

***

“What are you making, dear?” Betsy asks, winding around Alyssa in the kitchen to take a look at what she’s doing. 

Alyssa turns the heat up slightly on the pot of water she’s melting chocolate over. The sweet aroma wafts up from the glass bowl. 

“Lava cake,” she says, working the silicone spatula through the mixture of butter and semi-sweet chocolate. “As far as time and budget conscious goes, this recipe is fun, easy, and super good to share with your partner.” She smiles, biting her lip. “Except when said partner is notorious for making messes of almost any food that has the potential to spill.”

“Hey!” Emma calls from the other end of the kitchen. “That happened  _ one time.”  _

“It still happened,” Alyssa teases. “And I still love you.” She kills the fire, dipping two spoons into the chocolate, handing one to Betsy and walking over to give one to Emma. 

Emma’s eyes light up, taking the utensil and sticking it in her mouth, humming at the taste. “I love you too.”

***

“Welcome back to  _ The Happening,”  _ Gran tells the camera, lips curled in a soft smile. “I just asked Alyssa what she’s making, and now I’m going to check out Emma’s station. Emma? What are you cooking for me?”

Emma laughs, whisking together eggs, pecorino, and parmesan. “You know you aren’t the host, right, Gran?”

“You’ve given me lots of power already, Emma,” Betsy laughs. “Why not add to my duties?”

“Fair enough.” Her granddaughter’s eyes fill with amusement. 

“So, tell me what you’re making.”

Emma smiles. “Spaghetti carbonara.” She shows her grandmother the ingredients she’s currently mixing together. “I never got to share my recipe, which, yes, is based on yours, I know,” she adds when Betsy goes to say so. “But I made my own guanciale, and I have a few other tricks. Besides, I wooed Alyssa with this dish. It’s why she fell in love with me, aside from my dashingly good looks.” 

“That’s true,” the woman in question calls from the other end of the kitchen. “It’s quite good.” 

***

“Can I have some?” Alyssa pouts, wrapping her arms around Emma as she twirls some pasta into a bowl for Betsy to taste. The chocolate cake is sitting on the stove to stay warm.

Emma smiles. “Of course.” She grabs another bowl from the rack, putting a generous portion into it and handing it off. 

“Thank you,” Alyssa says quietly, kissing Emma’s shoulder before letting go of her and going to sit beside Betsy to eat. 

“You know you two are, like, grossly in love?” Shelby asks where she’s holding her own plate. 

“It’s our anniversary. Leave me alone,” Alyssa laughs. “I can be as grossly in love as I want today.” She takes a bite of pasta off her fork at that, savoring the flavor on her tongue and shutting her eyes. “Emma, this is to die for!” she calls. 

“Yeah, I think you’ve been replaced,” Shelby jokes. 

“What do you think, Marcus?” Betsy asks, turning to the man. He’s the newest addition to their staff, someone to run the kitchen when Emma and Alyssa are running between restaurants when the place actually opens. 

“Brilliant,” Marcus says around a bite with a smile. He swallows. “You could do a special with Alyssa’s chocolate lava cake and this, no? Two for just a little bit less. It might entice customers.”

Alyssa’s eyes brighten. “I knew I liked you!”

He blushes. “It makes perfect financial sense.”

Alyssa gapes slightly, turning to Shelby. “Where did you find him?”

Her friend laughs. “I went to Winnie’s bakery to get some coffee and pastries for Kaylee and I. He was there carting in flour and eggs, listening to some food industry podcast.”

“You  _ delivered supplies?”  _ Alyssa asks in surprise; there’s no judgement to it, just wonder.

Marcus nods. “I’m attending some classes at IU, and it was the only job around that I could kind of do what I love. People don’t exactly hire college age kids, usually. I’m actually not from around here, but the restaurant scene here is picking up. I’m grateful for y’all giving me a chance!”

“Everybody deserves a chance,” Emma answers fondly, cutting off a bit of cake with her fork to take a bite, smearing chocolate on her bottom lip as she does. 

“She’s right. We’re all about chances here.” Alyssa nods in agreement before she reaches forward and wipes the sweetness from her girlfriend’s mouth. “There you go again, getting it all over you.” 

The crow’s feet by Emma’s eyes crinkle. “Thanks, baby.” 

***

**Gay Food Network (Once More)** @Adohug: oh to be marcus… getting the chance of a lifetime

**Day 8 of Welcoming The Chef Lesbians Back** @JulietInConverse: GOD LITERALLY. I’M HAPPY FOR HIM BUT ALSO SO WISH THAT WERE ME

**presentation, taste, and emlyssa** @satan: LMAOO 

**Thinking About It [The Phoenix]** @ambien-im-on-it: tbh i just wanna try that pasta

**#BetsyNolanFTW** @itsOzzie: YES! It looked so good. 

**Betsy Nolan Stan** @NinjaKTX: well we have the recipe now

**Thinking About It [The Phoenix]** @ambien-im-on-it: again, *cannot* cook lmao however much i wish i could

***

Emma films an outro in their bedroom while Alyssa scrolls through her phone at their tiny kitchen table. She’s in one of Emma’s hoodies and a pair of sweatpants, face makeup free after a long day of shooting, cooking, and planning. 

She smiles softly when she hears gentle footsteps coming her way, but there’s a worriedness about the tension in her shoulders. 

“What is it?” Emma asks softly, sitting down across from her. 

“I’m on Twitter,” Alyssa answers, as if that explains everything. “A lot of people sure have… thoughts about you and I.” She tries to keep her voice light, but her leg is bouncing like it always does under the table when she’s nervous. 

Emma looks at her in concern. “Don’t listen to whatever they say.”

“Some of these aren’t great,” Alyssa tells her, starting to read one.  _ “ _ @BeverlyInEdgewater:  _ This show does not represent the values of Indiana. Somebody should put a stop to it. Not okay with me!”  _

Swallowing hard, Emma reaches across the table and touches her girlfriend’s wrist gently. “Hey. No more of that. Isn’t one of the first rules to like… not read what people say?”

Alyssa shrugs with a quiet, unsure laugh, allowing the phone to fall against the table without much care. “I don’t know what to think, Em. We’re in the spotlight. What if this ends up doing more harm than good?” 

Emma shakes her head, taking Alyssa’s hands in both of hers now that they’re free. “We can’t think like that. Whatever comes, we’ll deal with it, okay?” She squeezes gently, smiling softly. “Us against the world, right?” 

Alyssa nods in agreement. “Right.” She looks away, suddenly overwhelmed. 

“‘Lys,” Emma murmurs, maneuvering until she’s in line with the woman’s gaze again and forcing their eyes to meet. “I’m right here. I love you.” 

Alyssa nods again, gnawing on her bottom lip a little. She’s never been one to care about what people think, but now, this is their life, their business, their relationship being seen by people all over the world. It makes a coolness take hold in her chest, worries about what sort of action people may actually take suddenly rushing through her. The last thing they need is an intentional tragedy. They barely survived the last one, and it was an accident. 

“Say you love me back,” Emma teases gently, attempting to pull Alyssa from her spiral. 

Alyssa cracks a smile. “I love you too, Emma.” 

“Good.” Emma leans across the table and kisses her forehead. Alyssa leans into the touch. “Now, why don’t you go take a shower, yeah? I’ll make us something to eat.” 

“Okay,” Alyssa agrees, taking a deep breath. “I think I’ll feel better after that.”

She stands up, and Emma does the same, stepping forward and pulling her girlfriend into a hug. Alyssa trembles slightly, the weight of the immediate-feedback nature of social media, the tiny fears that have always sat in the back of her head since she decided to come out, work, and stay in Indiana despite its conservative nature suddenly coming to head. 

“I’ve got you,” Emma whispers, kissing the top of her head. “You’re okay. I’m okay. We’re okay.” 

Alyssa breathes her in. 

_ They’re okay.  _

***

**Emma Nolan** @emmacooks: hi y’all friendly reminder for anyone feeling any kind of hate tonight: instead of putting it online for all of us to see, maybe you should make yourself something good to eat, turn your phone off, and watch a movie :) 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey there! thanks for reading! what did you think? if you enjoyed, consider dropping me a comment/kudo down below to let me know. i love hearing from you. it always makes my day.
> 
> as always, if you wanna chat some more about greenelan/food/gayness i'm @ifthebookdoesntsell on tumblr. my askbox is always open. 
> 
> be safe out there x


End file.
